By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

A 63-year-old American man injured in a shark attack while spearfishing off Big Grand Cay, Abaco, last Sunday underwent emergency surgery and is now said to be in good spirits as he begins therapy.

Superintendent Steven Rolle confirmed that doctors repaired the man’s arteries and tendons after the August 17 incident.

He said the victim now faces a long rehabilitation.

Police said the attack happened shortly after 1pm while the man was spearfishing in waters near the cay. He was first treated at a local clinic before being airlifted to the United States for further medical care.

The Tribune understands medical teams at the Abaco clinic provided emergency stabilisation before the transfer.

Earlier this month, spear fisherman Mike Raich revealed how he narrowly escaped serious injury when a shark bite to his arm missed major nerves and arteries by inches.

One of the shark’s teeth was even left embedded in his wound - a souvenir of a scary encounter for the US Marine veteran, 66, who was spear fishing off Spanish Cay when the shark bit the back of his left arm while he was bringing a fish to the surface.

In February, two American women were injured while swimming in Bimini Bay. That case, along with others across the region, prompted the United States State Department to warn travellers in March to exercise increased caution in Bahamian waters due to crime and shark encounters.

Data from the International Shark Attack File shows fewer than 50 unprovoked shark attacks worldwide in 2024, below the ten-year average of about 70.

Even so, The Bahamas has historically ranked among the higher jurisdictions for recorded attacks, though experts stress they remain rare compared to the volume of visitors and marine activity.

A Bahamian marine expert recently calledd for stronger regulation and enforcement of marine tourism and fishing practices after a series of recent shark attacks in local waters.

Dr Ancilleno Davis, founder of Science & Perspective, a science education platform that explains ecological issues through a Bahamian lens, told The Tribune that such incidents are preventable and often stem from unsafe practices that remain unregulated.